The Canadian actor discusses his breakout role as Sasha in Heated Rivalry, his hopes for the character’s future, and his upcoming queer projects, including Lunar Sway and his directorial debut.
Design by Yosef Phelan
A single scene was all Kaden Connors needed. As Sasha in Heated Rivalry – the “slithering” former lover of Ilya Rozanov – he appears briefly, yet left a lasting mark as the MLM hockey romance became a global obsession. “From the opportunities it’s brought within my work and the industry, to the incredible fans and messages from people saying Heated Rivalry has literally changed their lives, everything has been amazing,” the Canadian actor tells Gay Times. “This felt like a victory for queer people.”
Fresh off Heated Rivalry, Connors has turned his attention to Lunar Sway, a Canadian indie that earned rave reviews following its BFI Flare premiere in March. Directed by Nick Butler, the dark comedy tracks Cliff, a bisexual man in a desert town whose life is thrown into disarray by his con-artist birth mother. Connors plays Jovi, an artist who haunts his ex-boyfriend’s orbit in a Lynchian-leaning exploration of intimacy and queer identity. “I love stories of all types,” Connors says, “but right now it feels like there’s a march happening with queer storytelling – it’s happening – and to be in that is really awesome.”
There’s more ahead for Connors, too. The aspiring filmmaker is gearing up for his directorial debut, The Cathedral – a subversive short film about a 30-year-old gay man experiencing religion for the first time, informed by Connors’ own experiences with the church. In this interview, he reflects on his role as Sasha in Heated Rivalry, why the character could serve as a foil to Ilya and Shane in season two (or three…), and his upcoming projects Lunar Sway and The Cathedral.
Yeah, it was awesome! I'm also a dual citizen because my dad was born in Scotland.
£6.49 Monthly
£60 Annually
Cancel anytime
No results found. Try a different search.
